www.mawwfire.gov.uk
Skills 4 Life
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and South Wales Police.
Overview
This project takes place over three days in a secure children’s home, in this case Hillside, Neath and involves the Fire and Rescue Service, Police and home staff engaging with young offenders who primarily have a disposition towards arson and vehicle related offences. Police and Fire and Rescue Service do not wear uniform, instead they don a ‘Skills for Life’ T-shirt and jeans. This helps to quickly break down initial barriers between facilitators and students.
Key points
Summary
This initiative engages on many levels and evaluation indicates a change in attitude towards Police, Fire and Rescue Services and Road Safety issues. The young offenders also demonstrate an improvement in their understanding of the consequences of their behaviour on the emergency Fire and Rescue Services, communities and themselves.
Overview
This project takes place over three days in a secure children’s home, in this case Hillside, Neath and involves the Fire and Rescue Service, Police and home staff engaging with young offenders who primarily have a disposition towards arson and vehicle related offences. Police and Fire and Rescue Service do not wear uniform, instead they don a ‘Skills for Life’ T-shirt and jeans. This helps to quickly break down initial barriers between facilitators and students.
Key points
- Six young offenders took part in the programme.
- Attendance was due to their involvement in fire or car related crimes.
- Four key skill areas are developed on the course - Safety, Communication, Teamwork and the Consequences of their action.
- Facilitators and students combine to complete a series of tasks or skills such as ladder and pump drills, hose running, search and rescue and first aid.
- This proved to be an excellent means of developing the four key skills and of necessity encouraged a relaxed atmosphere with good verbal links between students and facilitators.
- On day three of the course Swansea City Council allow the use of their impact trailer and two specialist officers from the Police and Fire & Rescue Service deliver a hard hitting session about the physical, moral and social consequences of an Road Traffic Collision incorporating well established themes such as drink and drug driving, failing to wear a seat belt and peer pressure.
- The Road Traffic Collision session concludes with a 20 minute session based around an impact vehicle where students are shown the graphic consequences of an accident involving a car and it’s occupants traveling at 40 mph.
Summary
This initiative engages on many levels and evaluation indicates a change in attitude towards Police, Fire and Rescue Services and Road Safety issues. The young offenders also demonstrate an improvement in their understanding of the consequences of their behaviour on the emergency Fire and Rescue Services, communities and themselves.
© Gwasanaeth Tân Ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru | © Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service